People often ask about our favorite state or favorite trip. That’s such a tough question to answer because we’ve had so many memorable experiences. I think the one that tops the list, though, was scuba diving with giant manta rays in Hawaii. It was a thrilling climax to an unforgettable trip to Hawaii.

Recently, my daughter Corinne had to write a paper for her Philosophy 101 class in college about her most exhilarating experience. It wasn’t at all surprising to me that she chose our manta ray dive in Hawaii as the subject. Her professor added a twist to […]

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is an immensely popular attraction in California and is frequently named one of the best aquariums in the country. My husband and I had been there two or three other times, but before we had kids, so we very much looked forward to going back there with the kids. Our first impression when we got there was, “Wow, this is CROWDED!” So my first tip is to consider the timing of your visit. If you have preschool aged or younger children, I would highly recommend planning your visit during the school year.